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Armed with a 3" disc and a pen and paper the Balg casts his critical eye across the adventure club scene as well as all the usual features...

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News

Recreation Re-creation closed

The Balg has received several complaints concerning RR not responding to orders/letters - it seems that Mark Eltringham, head honcho at RR, has disappeared from the adventure scene completely so please DO NOT ORDER ANY GAMES FROM RECREATION RE-CREATION UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! If Mark would like to please get in contact with me I would be grateful.

Covertape news

Hopefully the January covertape will have some interest to adventurers - at the moment the Balrog can't say much more (Rod's sworn me to secrecy!), but it will not be an adventure game...

Contacting the Balg

To get in contact with the Balg, write to him at Amstrad Action, Future Publishing Ltd, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, AVON BA1 2AP.

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Adventure Clubs Update

In AA55 the Balg reviewed the various adventure clubs available for Amstrad Owners - since then Spellbreaker and Harlequin & Steel have gone bye bye (although H & S was only around for one issue - it was very mediocre and too expensive), ACL has changed owners (and name!) and Confidential has become 16-bit only. The Balg is constantly hearing of new clubs starting up but usually they don't get past their first issue before the new editor realises how much work is needed! (I'm sure Rod will agree as an editor!) Anyway here are the major adventure clubs around at the moment:-

Adventure Probe
Price £1.50 a month
Editor Mandy Rodrigues HBalg
Address Adventure Probe, 67 Lloyd Street, Llandudno, Gwynedd, LL30 2BN or Tel (0492) 77305 at any reasonable hour.

The longest running adventure magazine (over five years now!), Probe (as it is affectionately known) is more of a group of friends than a formal club and as such has a lovely chatty atmosphere. As well as a comprehensive monthly magazine Probe offers an adventure solution database for hundreds of games as well as a helpline and clues. It caters for all computer formats but has a strong Amstrad following. By the time you read this the second Adventure Probe convention will have taken place by the time you read this (Hi to everyone who went!) and if it's anything like last year it will have been great! Probe just has to be the Balrog's favourite adventure magazine - buy a sample copy today!

Adventure Coder

Price £1.00 a month
Editor Chris Hester
Address 3 West Lane, Baildon, Near Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD17 5HD.

Adventure Coder has gone through some changes since it was last reviewed - it is now 8-bit only (none of those boring Amiga and ST articles) and is bi-monthly. However the content of the magazine is still the same - the discussion of writing your own adventure games. As well as generalised articles there are various sections which cover GAC, Quill, ADLAN and PAW. Adventure Coder is a great little magazine but has been having troubles recently with new material (no material = no magazine) so if you have any ideas then get writing to Chris!

Adventurers & Strategy Club

Price £24 a year £14 for six months
Editor Sue Roseblade
Address 17 Sheridan Road, London E12 6QT. Tel: (081) 470 8563

The Adventurers & Strategy Club is the new name for what was ACL - but don't be put off - the ownership and editorship has changed as well! This fact should be stressed because the old club got much bad press due to the antics of Henry Mueller, the editor/owner.The club is different from the others in that it doesn't produce a regular magazine - the annoying thing with magazines is that you spend ages searching through piles before you find the article/issue you want. Instead ASC produces a bi-monthly pack of loose sheets which can be put into a binder - thus creating a reference book of adventuring. It should also be said that since the change in ownership, the packs are much bigger and arrive on time!ASC caters for all formats so unfortunately the CPC isn't mentioned much (the Amiga, ST and PC seem to be the 'in' machines) but has the advantage of no adverts and the reference book approach, although expensive it will become indispensable in the years to come especially if you are planning on buying another computer.

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Balrog's Postbag

Another bumper postbag this month - keep 'em coming!

More PD Adventures...

I have written two PD adventure games and I would be happy to give copies to anyone who sends me a SSAE and a disc with at least two other PD adventures. I will also put some other PD programs (mainly BASIC) which I have written.If someone wants the games but does not have any PD adventures then they can just send me a disc, SSAE and ú1.50.

Paolo Cuomo, Century Cottage, Brenly, Faversham, Kent ME13 9LU.

- Thanks very much Paolo!

Greetings from Falstate

Could the Great Balrog assist a mere novice in the hunt for a source of the Great Bard's Tale? As I have heard so much gossip I wish to pursue this mythical masterpiece and to delve therein for a time.Also mighty sage, if thou knowest of anymore classic legends of our time, would not a concise inventory of suggestions taken from your vast library of tomes be worthy of the cost of scribe and parchment within the magical work, namely Amstrad Action?I thank you and may your purse ever hold moonpieces.

Tooken Strange the Gnome (Illusionist to Xundra Sharmhand of Guardby and member of a Winter's Tale)

- Loosely translated I think you want to find where you can buy Bards Tale! - Unfortunately, Bards Tale seems to be no longer available - not even Electronic Arts have any copies left, therefore I think your best chance would be to put an advert in the Small-Ads section or in Adventure Probe asking for it and I'm sure someone will reply (hopefully!).

Adventure suggestions

I have just finished writing my first adventure game and I am just having it playtested and then I will sort out the packaging. Any suggestions before I release it? Could you also give me some addresses for me to send it to to be reviewed.Oh, thanks to Joan Pancott and Ken Bond for their advice.

Gwynn Hopkins, Llandre

- Well, if you've already talked to Ken and Joan I can't really think of anything more you need to know - between them they've packaged and released quite a few games! As to addresses - try the clubs mentioned above (although avoid Adventure Coder as they don't review!) If the reviews you get are favourable then send the game to me!

Adventure tip...

If anybody is stuck on an adventure game on their CPC6128 this little word should work: XYZY.

Robbie Hammond, Herts

- I don't think this always works Robbie!

Adventures dead?

I'm worried about the recent state of the adventure scene. It seems to be slowly deteriorating. I mean, the only new adventures coming out are PD. Where has Magnetic Scrolls/Rainbird gone to, responsible for such games as Guild of Thieves and Jinxter? And is there any way of convincing Level 9 to return?
Philip Calver, Essex.

- Well Philip, the Balg has been chasing up your various questions - Magnetic Scrolls is firmly 16-bit only - their new adventure operating system, Magnetic Windows, uses up 180K of disc space before any adventure is actually created - there is no way they could viably produce a CPC version! Rainbird has disappeared, bought up by the same company who bought Telecomsoft. A quick phone call to Level 9 gave the answer '...Not at the moment...' - Level 9 are going through some difficulties themselves and are at the moment not producing any games. As to your comment about the only adventures appearing being in Public Domain - this is not true - companies such as Wow and FSF are continuing to support the good old CPC.

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Clue Cauldron

Thanks go to Adrian Forbes and Chris Roberts for this veritable overdose of clues for the brilliant roleplaying game Bloodwych:-

Make a good map, make sure you explore EVERYWHERE and have stood on every place possible. Also note down the colour of the locks on the doors so that if you find a key then you'll know what it unlocks.If you still can't get off a level, then cast the blue spell that allows you to see illusions (I seem to remember it's TRUVIEW - Balg) then go through the whole level again. If you see a difference, then select a member without a spell and if a wall suddenly appears then it is an illusion.If you see a gem socket with no gem in it and you have a colour gem, then put the gem in the socket as it is likely to be a teleport. If you are teleported, take the gem back.Watch out for the annoying minefields - these are long corridors that you have to pass over, but standing on specific squares teleports you somewhere else (usually to the start of the corridor). Stand on every square you can and mark down on your map whether it is a teleport or not and you will build up a path through the 'minefield'.If you ever come across a door that when opened presents a T-junction with a green 'grid' at the cross over point then save your game before you step forward onto the grid as it is likely to take you to the next level. If it does but you haven't fully explored the current level then just re-load your party because when you stand on these squares there's no way back... Also be cautious going through the doors with black locks - they will nine times out of ten close behind you, again make sure you have fully explored the current level before you pass through.It is handy to have snake slime in the transfer slot when in combat so that you can quickly give it to someone to drink.
Blaze or firepath are great spells to cast when you see advancing enemies, it will knock down their constitution considerably before they even get within striking distance. Be careful when casting Blaze though - some squares won't accept the 'firepath' and the fireball will just bounce around until it hits something (probably you!)

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Clue-sniffing with the Balrog

Thanks this month to Mark Conmy (Strider), Dave Cox, Alistair Crook, Adrian Forbes, Dave Harvard, Ben Isba, Peter Knowles, Amir Mansour, Chris Morgan, Pamela (who wants to remain anonymous) and Edmund Spicer for all their clues - may they adventure long and prosper!

Al-Strad

Give banana to monkey.Give penny to shopkeeper.Choose 'bridge' game.Examine case.

Astral Plain

Go round the compass anti-clockwise starting at north.
The shadow wants the staff.
The adder wants an abacus.
Stand on the pentagram.
Give the lamb a drink.

Colossal Adventure

Wave black rod at chasm.
Free the bird to scare the snake.

Escape from Planet of Doom

Knock on door.
The key can be used more than once.
Buy ticket with silver.
Give custard to monster in custard shop.

Fourth Protocol

Eileen Growes has come to the aid of Andy Riddings problem - the answers are Fingerprint, Gaza and False Flag.

Heroes of Karn (esp. for Steven Haddon)

Water ashes to prevent the phoenix from returning.
Get Beren to attack the bat with the falcon.
Get Khadim to kill the pirate with the dagger.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Put the dangly bit in the real tea. Turn the generator on and wait until you can feel.
Put all the fluff in the flowerpot. Wait until you see a shoot and then go in Sauna.
Eat the fruit to find the correct tool and go and ask Marvin to fix the hatch.

Knight Orc

To get in and out of the castle without opening the drawbridge 'tie rope to ivy' you can now go up and down as you please.
To get the rope through the ring, tie it to the spear.

Lurking Horror

Throw the contents of the flask at the curtain of slime when you first see it, ie before you approach the wall.

Wise and Fool of Arnold Blackwood

At gravestone with chilling message: dig grave, unscrew coffin, get crowbar, get coffin, open trapdoor with crowbar.
Launch the coffin in the sewer.

Wishbringer

Look under the seat in the cinema.
Read the letter after your boss has opened it.

Wolfman

Part 2

To stop David, the wolf, from killing you, you must go to your bedroom, strip, close curtains, enter bed and kiss David.
Play dead to fool guards.
On the castle wall, creep up on guard.

Part 3

When Nardia gets cold type 'Nardia cloak'.

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Lords & Ladies of Adventure

Once again six expert adventures offer aid to the needy. As always don't forget to send an SSAE or your query won't be answered!

Bard's Tale, Hitchhiker's Guide, Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Pawn & Shadows of Mordor.David Nicholas, 23 Houghton Lane, Sancton, East Yorkshire Y04 3QU.Adult II, Can I Cheat Death?, Doomlords, Firestone, Jason and the Argonauts, Roog, Spacey & Tizpan.
Adam Maxwell, 9 Peth Green, Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne & Wear DH5 OEY.

Base, Hollywood Hijinx, Infidel, Island, Spiro Legacy, Test, Wishbringer & help for PAW programmers.
Ken Bond, 17 Adel Park Gardens, Adel, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS16 8BN. Tel: (0532) 672278.

Adventure Quest, Dungeon Adventure, Gnome Ranger, Imagination, Knight Orc, Kobyashi Naru, Jewels of Babylon, Lancelot, Lords of Time, Mystery of Indus Valley, Price of Magik, Redmoon, Return to Eden, Shadows of Mordor, Snowball, Souls of Darkon & Venom.

Wendy Watters, 82 Booth Road, Stacksteads, Bacup, Lancashire OL13 OSF. Tel: (0706) 877518

Classic Adventure, Fantasia Diamond, Hobbit, Hollywood Hijinx, Inca Curse, Mountains of Ket, Planet of Death & Sorceror.

Dave Havard, 21 Belvoir Close, Fareham, Hants PO16 OPJ.

Forest at World's End, Jewels of Babylon & Seabase Delta.

James Mackle, 45 Kenure Park, Rush, Co Dublin, Ireland

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Help!

If you're really desperate for help in an adventure and no-one else can help you then write to the help section at the usual address - if possible enclosing some contributions for cluepot and just for laughs whilst you're at it!

David Broughton is stuck in his first adventure, Smashed - he can't rescue Clingon, get into the Sergeants mess, drive the jeep, get the pearls or get the oil - can anyone help?

Chris Morgan is desperate for help in Knight Orc, so desperate in fact that if he doesn't get any soon he will hang up his adventuring cloak forever (steady!). He has collected the halyard, noose, line, hawser, cord, tether, lasso and horses reins and yet his rope is still too short - where is the rest of the rope pieces?

Martin Helliwell (who mistakenly believes that he, and not the Balrog, killed Laura Palmer) is stuck in Bugsy - how does he get the money for the gum because if he uses the protection racket he gets caught by the police.